This invention relates to a connector mateable with a mating connector and having a structure for locking a mated state of the connector with the mating connector.
For example, this type of connector is disclosed in JP-A 2006-54057 (Patent Document 1), JP-A 2005-135751 (Patent Document 2) and JP-U S62(1987)-18980 (Patent Document 3), contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
As can be seen from FIG. 15, the receptacle connector (connector) disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to be mateable with a plug connector (mating connector). The receptacle connector comprises a lock portion. The lock portion is cantilevered so as to have a free end and a fixed end. The free end is provided with a pressed portion (operation portion). The lock portion has an engaged portion (lock protrusion) formed between the free end and the fixed end thereof. The plug connector is formed with a locked portion. In a mating process of the receptacle connector with the plug connector, the engaged portion is bent to be inserted into the plug connector. When the receptacle connector is mated with the plug connector, the engaged portion returns to its initial position to be engaged with the locked portion so that a mated state is locked.
As can be seen from FIG. 16, the female connector (connector) disclosed in Patent Document 2 is configured to be mateable with a male connector (mating connector). The female connector comprises a housing and a locking arm (lock portion) formed integrally with the housing. The housing is formed with an accommodating portion for accommodating a terminal. The locking arm is located over the accommodating portion with a wall therebetween. The locking arm is a fixed-fixed beam having opposite fixed ends. The locking arm is formed with a lock protrusion at a middle part between the two fixed ends. The locking arm is formed with a release-operation portion (operation portion) in the vicinity of one of the fixed ends. When the female connector is mated with the male connector, the lock protrusion locks a mated state.
As can be seen from FIG. 17, the connector disclosed in Patent Document 3 is configured to be mateable with a mating connector. The connector comprises a housing and a cover formed separately from each other. The housing is formed with an accommodating space (accommodating portion). The cover is provided with a lock member (lock portion). The lock member is a fixed-fixed beam located over the accommodating space. The lock member is formed with an engaged tab (lock protrusion) at a middle part between two fixed ends thereof. The lock member is formed with an engagement releaser (operation portion) in the vicinity of one of the fixed ends. When the connector is mated with the mating connector, the engaged tab locks a mated state.
When the connector of each of Patent Documents 1 to 3 is mated with or removed from the mating connector, the lock protrusion of the connector is required to move by a predetermined distance.
The lock portion of the connector of Patent Document 1 is supported in a cantilever structure. Accordingly, it is necessary to move the operation portion by an amount larger than the predetermined distance in order to move the lock protrusion by the predetermined distance. It is therefore necessary to form a space, which allows the large movement of the operation portion, in the connector. As a result, the connector may have a large size.
The lock portion of the connector of Patent Document 2 is supported in a both-ends support structure. Accordingly, a relatively small movement of the operation portion moves the lock protrusion by the predetermined distance. It is therefore possible to reduce the size of the connector. However, it is necessary to provide the wall between the lock portion and the accommodating portion in order to integrally form the housing and the fixed-fixed beam of the lock portion by a metal mold. Accordingly, the size of the connector becomes large by the thickness of the wall.
The lock portion of the connector of Patent Document 3 is supported in a both-ends support structure. Moreover, any wall is not provided between the lock portion and the accommodating portion. Accordingly, it is possible to further reduce the size of the connector.
However, according to Patent Document 3, it is necessary to separately form the cover (i.e. the lock portion) and the housing (i.e. the accommodating portion) from each other in order to configure the connector without using a complicated metal mold. In other words, the connector of Patent Document 3 is formed by combining a plurality of components which are made separately from one another. Accordingly, the cost of manufacture may increase.